darkshadowsfandomcom-20200222-history
Julia Hoffman (1991)
Julia Hoffman was a doctor in the fields of psychology and blood research at New York University. In 1990, she discovered the vampire, Barnabas Collins, and offered to cure him of his vampirism with a medical experiment. She later became an ally and confidante for Barnabas. Treating Daphne Collins In 1990, Dr. Julia Hoffman was working at New York University, where she had developed the reputation with Professor Michael Woodard of being an expert in the area of rare blood diseases. Julia was an old friend of the professor, and he asked her to assist with blood research in the village of Collinsport, Maine after a mysterious cell was found in the blood samples of victims of a series of vicious attacks in the district. Julia examined the only surviving victim, Daphne Collins, and ran several tests before creating a serum to treat the girl's blood. Although she began her treatment at Collinsport Mercy Hospital, Dr. Hoffman was soon convinced that she could complete her work at Collinwood, and was allowed to set up a lab in one of the bedrooms in the Great House (1). Sometime after beginning to treat Daphne, Julia began testing a new vaccine on the girl, one derived from the cell discovered in the victims' blood samples (2). The treatment helped Daphne recover, and she soon was strong enough to interact with family members and friends. On one instance, Julia walked in on Daphne and her boyfriend Joe Haskell kissing, and tactfully delayed the treatment to give Daphne some private time with Joe. As Daphne's strength grew and the hunt for the killer continued to yield no results, Julia allowed Daphne to become a part of the search for her attacker. She used a crystal necklace to hypnotize Daphne into remembering the night of her attack. The attempt was almost successful, and Julia thought that a second try could be made after Daphne rested further (1). Julia met the vampire Barnabas Collins when he came to Collinwood to pick up several antique pieces to use in his restoration of the Old House. He caused Daphne to sleepwalk to him before collapsing at the top of the stairs, and Julia treated the girl, suggesting she be moved downstairs to avoid accidents in the future (1). Daphne was moved to the first floor, and a deputy was assigned to protect her. Julia questioned Michael Woodard's actions when he also asked Daphne to wear a necklace with a cross on it, but the professor insisted (2). Vampire Cure Barnabas killed Daphne that night, but Julia remained at Collinwood. She was shocked when Michael Woodard suggested that Daphne had been killed by a vampire, but found herself pondering the effects her blood serum would have on the creature. She stated that her success with Daphne would suggest that the vampire itself might be curable. When Woodard disagreed and argued that vampires were the living dead, Julia countered that his argument would be difficult to prove (2). Daphne rose as a vampire and attacked Joe Haskell, and he was quickly taken into Julia's care at Collinwood. She began to treat his blood loss and the effects of the attack as she had done with Daphne's before her death. Joe remained under police observation at Collinwood, and Julia joined the family in the drawing room, where she noticed that Barnabas Collins did not cast a reflection in the mirror over the fireplace. Confident in her discovery that Barnabas was the vampire, she pointedly said to him that the identity of Daphne's attacker remained an important unanswered question (2). Following Daphne's destruction, Julia noted in her diary that it would be a long time, and perhaps never, before she or anyone involved would ever forget the horror of a vampire in their midst. She then explained that she intended to confront Barnabas at sunset. That evening at dusk, she entered the Old House and was caught by Willie Loomis, who tried to keep her from going into the basement. Julia forced her way to Barnabas' coffin and confronted the vampire with a cross just as he was about to rise, repelling him. She demanded an audience with him and stated that she would only put the cross away if he would promise not to harm her. In the drawing room, she explained her premise for a medical experiment that would cure his vampirism, and Barnabas agreed to cooperate (2). Under the pretense of continuing to treat Joe Haskell, Julia planned to remain at Collinwood for the duration of the experiment, which would involve twelve weeks of injections into Barnabas' blood. She arrived late to her first appointment with Barnabas because she could only leave Collinwood when the other residents were in bed, and found Barnabas struggling to control his vampiric urges. She warned him that the serum she would give him would be highly toxic to his system, but Barnabas still wished to continue. After drawing a baseline sample of his blood, Julia injected the first dose of the serum, which caused severe pain in Barnabas. He doubled over, and she stayed close to monitor him. As the pain subsided, he assured her that the two of them would one day see the dawn together (3). During the winter of 1990 and early 1991, Julia treated Barnabas' condition regularly, and by the tenth week noted in her record of the experiment that Barnabas' blood was developing a stronger resistance to the effects of the sun. Barnabas asked Julia to rush the experiment, but she was able to calm his urgings by showing him that he now had a reflection in a mirror. She asked that he try to be patient, stating that everything he wanted was going to come true. Barnabas responded that he would then owe everything to Julia, and that he planned to thank her. Julia, falling in love with Barnabas, mistook the reply as an implication of romance (3). Julia dined with Michael Woodard at his cottage and he questioned her reasons for remaining in Collinsport. He accused her of waiting for the vampire to strike again, but Julia denying his claims. She was barely able to cover her shock, however, when Woodard suggested that Barnabas was the killer (3). Willie Loomis came to get Julia from Collinwood one evening and explained that Barnabas had nearly attacked Victoria Winters. Curious as to why Barnabas was in a position to harm the girl, Julia asked Willie what Victoria was doing at the Old House. He answered that they were only talking, but that Barnabas had lost control. At the Old House, Barnabas demanded that he be treated again and allowed to witness the dawn of the next morning. Julia gave Barnabas an injection and supervised his viewing of the sunrise. The test was successful, but Julia soon noticed a blood sample she had placed in the sunlight reacting violently to its exposure, indicating that Barnabas could no longer tolerate the sun himself. She asked Willie to pull the drapes, but Barnabas refused to allow the sun to be blocked, and thus became very ill. Julia and Willie rushed Barnabas to bed, but were horrified when a knock at the front door interrupted their efforts (3). Michael Woodard, Sheriff George Patterson, and Roger Collins had come to investigate Woodard's claims that Barnabas was the vampire, and Julia covered both her being at the Old House and Barnabas' inability to answer the door by saying that she had been summoned by Willie early that morning to treat a fever in Barnabas. When she could not refuse their entry because of a search warrant, Julia feared that she and Barnabas would be exposed. Barnabas managed to survive the sunlight again long enough to convince his guests to leave, and Julia insisted that he return to bed. She gave Willie orders to call Sheriff Patterson if Michael Woodard returned (3). Woodard snuck into Julia's Collinwood lab shortly after and photographed her notes on the cure, and Julia soon discovered his actions and explained them to Barnabas. Although she explained that it would have been ill-advised to have gone without a written record of the treatments, Barnabas focused only on dealing with Woodard. Julia tried to convince Barnabas to allow her to speak to Woodard, but Barnabas believed that her efforts would do no good. Barnabas ordered Willie to escort Julia directly to Collinwood during so that she could not interfere (3). There, the doctor received a phone call from Sheriff Patterson explaining that Woodard had been attempting to reach the police before his phone had gone dead. She asked to accompany Patterson to Woodard's cottage, and he agreed (4). Arriving at Woodard's, Julia and the sheriff found the professor in good spirits, but unwilling to discuss his most recent lead, which he described as a dead end. When prodded, Woodard explained that he had photographed evidence from a personal diary, but that he did not want to identify the diary's owner. Patterson insisted on developing the film and asked Julia to accompany him. Woodard then attacked the sheriff, revealing that he had been transformed into a vampire. Julia stabbed Woodard with a wooden spear from his collection of artifacts, causing the professor to attack his former friend. Sheriff Patterson rescued the doctor by forcing the spear through Woodard's heart, destroying him (4). At the police station, Julia waited with the sheriff for the film from Woodard's camera to be developed. The negatives had been exposed and did contain an image, but printed as smeared blurs on the photographic paper. More shockingly, the negatives no longer contained an image after a mysterious error in the printing. Julia argued with Barnabas during his next treatment that the horrible death of Woodard, an innocent person, could not be for the best, but Barnabas retorted that Woodard's death provided for their continuing existence. He indicated that Julia was now as much a part of the crimes as he was, and suggested further that she had been more a part of Woodard's actual destruction than he had, as Barnabas had left Woodard alive as a vampire. Barnabas showed Julia Josette's music box and told her that he planned to give it to someone he loved, but the doctor misunderstood his words to mean that he meant to give it to her (4). Julia next saw the music box at Collinwood in the room of Victoria Winters, where she overstepped her bounds and began to question the governess about her relationship with Barnabas. Curious as to Barnabas' intentions for Victoria, she inquired with Willie at the Old House. Willie showed her the portrait of Josette and explained that Barnabas planned to marry Victoria once the treatments were completed. Julia stated that Barnabas could jeopardize everything by being a part of a romantic relationship, claiming that it could set him back to his former state permanently. Barnabas returned home, and Willie and Julia, fearing his anger, hid in the closet until Barnabas left the room. Willie went downstairs to distract Barnabas so that Julia could sneak out of the house. Later, in her lab, Julia wrote in her journal that she planned to put the experiment on hold and maintain Barnabas' condition the way it was until his relationship with Victoria came to an end. She would dilute the serum's strength and he would remain part human and part vampire (5). When Barnabas found that he could not control himself with Victoria, Willie escorted Julia to the Collins Mausoleum, where Barnabas had demanded to be chained in his coffin again. When they arrived, they found the coffin open and Barnabas in a horrible state. He demanded to know what Julia had done to him, and she confessed, stating that Victoria was wrong for him and always would be. He demanded, even if it cost him the success of the experiment, to be given one last injection and end the treatments. Julia, heartbroken, gave Barnabas the massive dosage he insisted upon. The following morning, Willie came to Collinwood to get Julia again, explaining that Barnabas was ill. Julia refused to help, citing Barnabas' insistence that he no longer needed her. Willie left, terrified, and Julia stared at Barnabas' portrait (5). Aftermath Carolyn Stoddard returned to Collinwood later that day after visiting the Old House with word that Barnabas was planning to attend the costume dinner that evening. Julia asked the young woman if she was sure, probing Barnabas' condition. Rudely, Carolyn simply stated that Barnabas was feeling fine. Julia did not know that Barnabas had attacked Carolyn and placed her under his power. At the party, Julia confronted Willie to see if Barnabas was coming, but he refused to be seen with her as soon as Barnabas entered. Julia watched Barnabas interacting with Carolyn before walking over and starting a conversation with him. Carolyn said nothing and walked away, leaving the two to speak. With their voices low, Julia and Barnabas discussed his condition, and he revealed that he was now entirely a vampire again. Before he walked away, Barnabas coldly told the doctor that he planned to settle the score between them. As the party died down, Julia watched the remaining guests play with a Ouja board, attempting to determine the identity of the vampire from the deaths of Daphne Collins and Michael Woodard. Carolyn flew into a rage and broke up the game before storming out of the room (6). The following day, Carolyn brought tea into the drawing room in an attempt to poison Julia for Barnabas, but David Collins arrived in time to stop Julia from drinking any of the tea. He explained that Sarah Collins had told him that the drink had been poisoned, and slapped the cup out of Julia's hand when she still attempted to drink it. Carolyn escorted David out, and Julia came to her room to discuss her sudden closeness with Barnabas. Carolyn asked Julia why she tried to hurt Barnabas and then stated that Julia was going to be sorry for it. That night, Carolyn, under Barnabas' control, tried to stab Julia while she slept. Julia had been prepared, however, and had stuffed her blankets to seem like she was in bed. Meeting Carolyn at her bedroom door, Julia ripped the scarf from her neck, revealing the puncture wounds from her vampire attack (6). Julia went to the Old House to confront Barnabas about the attack, and he explained that her massive injection had caused him to age into a two-hundred-year-old man. When she argued with him, Barnabas grabbed her and prepared to bite her, but Sarah Collins' ghost appeared and demanded that he stop. She told Barnabas that Julia wanted to help him, and that he must not hurt her. Barnabas promised to follow Sarah's instructions, and she told him that everyone at Collinwood was in danger. Suddenly, the spirit of Angelique Bouchard appeared near the staircase and howled at the group, during which time Sarah disappeared. When Angelique vanished, Julia decided that they had to investigate Sarah's warning by contacting her spirit. The next day, she met with Maggie Evans and requested that she hold a séance that night to contact Sarah's ghost (6). Danger from the Past The family held the séance in the Great Hall of Collinwood, and Sarah spoke through Victoria. The doors of Collinwood suddenly flew open, blowing out the candles. Julia yelled for someone to turn on the lights, and the entire group saw that Victoria had disappeared and been replaced with another woman, dressed in clothing from the eighteenth century. Julia examined the unconscious stranger upstairs in a bedroom, stating that she was seemingly healthy, though in heavy shock. The doctor said that the disheveled look of the girl suggested that she had been in some kind of accident. Maggie said that Victoria and the woman had likely traded places. Roger Collins read a letter of introduction found on the girl and the group learned that her name was Phyllis Wicke, and that she had been on her way to the Collins Estate in the year 1790. Julia exchanged a concerned look with Barnabas as both realized that Victoria was now likely in the period of his life before he became a vampire (6). Julia went to the Old House later that night, and Barnabas explained that Phyllis Wicke had been hired as a tutor for his family, and that after recovering from the accident she developed a fever and died. While she was watching the unconscious Phyllis at Collinwood, Elizabeth Collins Stoddard fell asleep. As Elizabeth slept, Phyllis awoke and slipped out of the room, away from Collinwood. Julia arrived a short time later and discovered that the girl was gone (7). The police returned Phyllis to Collinwood sometime later, but she was already showing signs of heavy fever. Julia examined her, discovering that she had diphtheria. Eager to protect everyone around her, Julia suggested the entire group be re-immunized for the illness immediately. Julia informed Barnabas of Phyllis Wicke's condition and tried to prepare him for the chance that she could die. Barnabas accused Julia of being happy with that possibility, and angrily tried to attack Willie when he vocalized his concerns for Victoria should Phyllis die. Julia demanded that Barnabas leave Willie alone and rushed him out of the room (8). Julia continued to monitor Phyllis Wicke but determined that she would die if her feverish condition did not improve. When Elizabeth suggested taking Phyllis to a hospital, Julia assured her that that option would do no good, as they were doing everything that was possible for the girl. At Barnabas' suggestion, Julia convinced the family to hold another séance. Sarah spoke to the group again, this time through Maggie, and begged them to stop the ceremony before something awful could reach them. Victoria's empty chair burst into flames, and Julia convulsed, claiming that she felt as if something were trying to get inside of her. Seeming to have been too strong for the invading spirit, Julia went to her room and apologized for bothering everyone. When she was alone, Julia looked into her mirror and saw Angelique's reflection staring back at her (9). Angelique used Julia's body to fatally stab Joe Haskell when he attempted to stake Barnabus in his coffin. When Willie arrived, she attacked him as well, and he subdued her. With no memory of what happened, Julia remained at the Old House until night, when Willie explained Julia's behavior to Barnabas. Willie said that Julia had been yelling strange words, which Barnabas translated to mean, "to kill," in French. When Julia argued that she could not speak French, Barnabas replied that Angelique could. He reasoned that Julia's reaction at the séance indicated that Angelique was inside her, a thought that overwhelmed Julia. Barnabas stated that the real danger was to Phyllis Wicke, believing that Angelique would want her dead to destroy Victoria. When she attempted to understand Angelique's motives, Julia realized that Angelique and Barnabas had been together in the past, and that she wanted to destroy Victoria as a rival. Barnabas urged Julia to seek help from Maggie Evans, as the medium of the séance through which Angelique had taken control of her (11). Maggie attempted to exorcise Angelique's spirit from Julia, but Angelique resisted, yelling at the psychic in French. Maggie seemed to succeed, but unbeknownst to Julia, Angelique's spirit had merely moved from the doctor to Maggie. She discovered this one night at Collinwood while checking on Phyllis Wicke. Julia was shocked to see Phyllis lying on the bed and not breathing but realized that she had to quickly work to revive the girl. As she struggled to save Phyllis, the rest of the family and Barnabas arrived. Julia managed to force Phyllis to breathe again, and the power at the house suddenly failed. When the lights returned, Julia saw that Victoria had returned, but was concerned when she saw the governess recoil in horror at the sight of Barnabas (12). Notes *Julia Hoffman does not appear at all in Episode 10 of the series, but Barbara Steele is featured as her 1790 character, Natalie du Prés. Hoffman, Julia